Water Balloon Room by Torafu

TORAFU ARCHITECTS has designed the "water balloon" site installation for the "Eco & Art Award 2014"exhibition held at the Konica Minolta Plaza Gallery and presented by Konica Minolta as a socio-cultural corporate initiative.

"water balloon" is the product of a collaboration with a glass artist and each light bulb is made by hand using glass recycled from fluorescent lamps. As a result, no two water balloons have the same shape. Moreover, the bubbles inside each unique shape help produce a distinctive ethereal light.

By bringing visitors to bathe in light emanating from the 36 "water balloons" suspended throughout the entire space, which appear to breathe in and out with each pulsation, we strived to create a space where they can catch a glimmer of a new natural environment.

Principle use.- EXHIBITION SITE.
Credit.- Production.- garasukikakusya / Sound program.- LUFTZUG / Lightings.- maxray / Graphic.- TAKAIYAMA.
Building site.- KONICA MINOLTA PLAZA.
Total floor area.- 53.19m2.
Design period.- 2014.01-2014.03.
Construction period.- 2014.03.06-07.
Duration.- 2014.03.08-24.

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Detail. Water Balloon Room by Torafu. Photography © Masaki Ogawa.

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Koichi Suzuno - Shinya Kamuro. TORAFU ARCHITECTS Inc.

Torafu Architects Inc. Founded in 2004 by Koichi Suzuno and Shinya Kamuro, TORAFU ARCHITECTS employs a working approach based on architectural thinking. Works by the duo include a diverse range of products, from architectural design to interior design for shops, exhibition space design, product design, spatial installations and film making. Amongst some of their mains works are 'TEMPLATE IN CLASKA', 'NIKE 1LOVE', 'BOOLEAN', 'HOUSE IN KOHOKU' and 'airvase' . ‘Light Loom (Canon Milano Salone 2011)’ was awarded the Grand Prize of the Elita Design Award. Published in 2011were the 'airvase book' and 'TORAFU ARCHITECTS 2004-2011 Idea + Process' (by BIJUTSU SHUPPAN-SHA CO., LTD.) and in 2012, a picture book titled ‘TORAFU's Small City Planning' (by Heibonsha Limited).

Koichi Suzuno
1973: Born in Kanagawa Prefecture
1996: Graduated from Department of Architecture, Science University of Tokyo
1998: Completed the Master Course of Architecture, Yokohama National University
1998-2001: Worked at Coelacanth K&H
2002-2003: Worked at Kerstin Thompson Architects / Melbourne
2004.2-: Founded TORAFU ARCHITECTS with Shinya Kamuro
2005-2008: Lecturer at Tokyo University of Science
2008-: Lecturer at Showa Women's University
2010-2011: Lecturer at Kyoritsu Women's University
2010-: Lecturer at Musashino Art University
2012-: Lecturer at Tama Art University

Shinya Kamuro
1974: Born in Shimane Prefecture
1997: Graduated from Department of Architecture, School of Science & Technology,Meiji University
1999: Completed the Master Course of Architecture, Meiji University
2000-2003: Worked at Jun Aoki & Associates
2004.2-: Founded TORAFU ARCHITECTS with Koichi Suzuno
2008-: Lecturer at Showa Women's University